School Reopening is the New Reality. How Should We Relate to It? By Ella Mahony and Mike Stivers The following is the position of individual MORE members, and is not the position of the MORE caucus as a whole. In the past few weeks, New York City mayor Bill De Blasio made a series ofContinue reading “School Reopening is the New Reality. How Should We Relate to It?”
Category Archives: health and safety
We Taught in a Covid Hot Spot and Got Remote Learning
Our organizing focused on bringing our chapter together, learning about COVID data, circulating an Open Letter, and protesting to draw attention to our issue. We saw results in increased media coverage, increased testing in our neighborhood and school, and increased advocacy by our admin and UFT representatives
Failed DOE-UFT Reopening Deal: Larger Class Sizes, Little COVID-19 Testing, and a Lack of Rank-and-File Voice
The UFT needs to negotiate a remote start to the school year now (or two months ago) Over the past week, members at dozens of schools with positive COVID-19 cases have been in confusion around the protocols for closing schools and having members work remotely. This is eerily reminiscent of the city’s failure to listenContinue reading “Failed DOE-UFT Reopening Deal: Larger Class Sizes, Little COVID-19 Testing, and a Lack of Rank-and-File Voice”
Not Until It’s Safe: Day Of Action – Monday Sept. 14th
Stop the Mayor’s Reopening Plan! We’re just a few days into the school reopening plan negotiated by the Mayor and UFT leadership, and it’s already clear our communities are in danger. Positive cases around the city have been reported among staff, requiring colleagues to quarantine at a moment’s notice. Staff returned to buildings with sinks,Continue reading “Not Until It’s Safe: Day Of Action – Monday Sept. 14th”
Educator Letter to Cancel Rent
This letter for housing justice has been endorsed by MORE. Please consider signing and sharing it via this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf8ZF3uh8akmo5o2hcz7lFEb1WHaUPNhcaxZt98mAl1iaIFcw/viewform Dear Educators, All across New York State, millions of people across our communities and in our congregations are wrestling with COVID-19. We know first hand the impact this has had on our classrooms and our students. AsContinue reading “Educator Letter to Cancel Rent”
MORE Statement on UFT August 19 Press Conference
MORE Statement on UFT August 19 Press Conference We welcome UFT President Mulgrew’s stated—though delayed—consideration of using job actions to prevent an unsafe and underfunded reopening of schools. We appreciate that he echoed many of the demands we have been articulating since May and are proud that our advocacy helped push UFT leadership to takeContinue reading “MORE Statement on UFT August 19 Press Conference”
The UFT should be leading the fight to stop an unsafe reopening of schools
What will it take to stop an unsafe reopening? Members of the United Federation of Teachers have the power to prevent an unsafe reopening. We showed that earlier this year. As the pandemic swept New York in March 2020 thousands of city teachers ignored UFT leaders’ warnings and began to call in sick and studentContinue reading “The UFT should be leading the fight to stop an unsafe reopening of schools”
Parents and Teachers Agree: It Is Too Soon To Go Back into School Buildings
By: B. Kaiser, Tajh Sutton, Liat Olenick, Kaliris Salas, Medi Ford Imagine you are a student attending a public school in September 2020. You’re excited to see your friends, and as soon as you get to school you run up to say hi, but the dean tells you you have to stay 6 feet away.Continue reading “Parents and Teachers Agree: It Is Too Soon To Go Back into School Buildings”